How Did You start?

Helihound

Member
How did you start off in professional aerial photography/video? Was it a hobby that progressed into a new career path or did you have a photography grounding and wanted a new aspect? Did you start off with a basic quad or did you go all out and buy the best?

It is something I would love to do eventually as a hobby. I love watching the FPV videos on YouTube especially if they are in HD. Finally, what do you use? I assume something more advanced than a GoPro.
 

Benjamin Kenobi

Easy? You call that easy?
I started with a 3D heli. I got to the piro-flips stage but then lost interest. Basically I bought an F550 (still got it) and put a GoPro on it and wore Fatshark goggles. After that the Heli was boring!

Got an S800 with Zenmuse and GH2 with a view to making a career out of it. Six months later I quit my day job as a radiographer in a large London hospital and moved to the Cotswolds to live the high life.

Full-time aerial chap since last September now. I'm making more money than my old day job and I work two days a week (equivalent to one months net pay in two days compared to being a radiographer!). And they thought I was crazy when I left, HA!

Last week I filmed for the Discovery Channel and then BBC Three HD (Don't Tell the Bride). Beats taking x-rays!

So in other words, GO FOR IT! Full steam ahead! Get a good accountant and lawyer and get out there promoting yourself! There's tons of work for all of us!

Sorry, I'm excitable at the moment. :nevreness:
 

Helihound

Member
Wow, talk about being inspired. I would love to give up my day job, reduce my hours AND get paid for something I enjoy doing. I thought I was doing that back in 2001 when I left the ambulance service to be a HGV driver. (Dont ask me why, I still dont know why I did it).

As mentioned in a previous thread, I bought a quad frame (SK450) last year then with one thing or an other, put things on the back burner. I am going to attach the Dead Cat conversion on it so I can hook up a GoPro or similar and get to know the ins and outs of quad flying before I crash and burn a decent rig.

Also being new to multirotors, is Aerial video/photography using multirotors fairly new or has it been around for a while? I can only assume it is more cost effective for clients to use multirotor businesses instead of full size helicopters or are there still things that a helicopter can do that a multirotor can not?

Any advice just throw it in my direction welcome :tennis:
 
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